Antitorpedo shield



1944- N. R. PETERSON ANTITORPEDO SHIELD Filed July 8, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet l I MI I I Swan Mo I I NOR/141V Marne-0% Aug. 22, 1944. N. R. PETERSON 2,356,691

ANTITORPEDO SHIELD Filed July 8, 1945 s Sheets-Sheet 2 (/7 v I 3348 I Aug. ,22, 1944.

Filed July 8, 1943 R. PETERSON ANTITORPEDO SHIELD 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Zlwuewfoz NORM/9N 1?. PETEIKSO/V,

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mic W Patented Aug. 22, 194-4 UNITED} STATES PATENT OFFlC 2,356,691 ANTITORPEDQ. SHIELD Norman Rice Petersomseattle, Wash. V Application July s, 1943, Serial No. 493,892

6 Claims.

This invention is an anti-torpedo shield for h p i Y The principal feature of the invention is that the shield is made up of a number of long, relatively thin, flat members which are buoyant, and which are weighted to float upright in a vertical plane alongside the ship which is being protected. Due to the inherent buoyancy of the units, the weight of the shield is carried by the water and while booms and cables may be used for holding the units alongside the ship and spaced from it, these booms and cables need not themselves be unduly heavy and strong because of the support aiforded by the water.

In the prior art, torpedo, nets have been suspended from floats. Such nets, however, present the disadvantage of creating a great amount of resistance when the ship is moving. With the present invention, however, the fiat buoyant units making up the torpedo shield are smooth surfaced and are streamlined and slip through the Water with a minimum of resistance. This is an extremely important feature of the present invention, i

More specifically, the buoyant units making up the shield are hollow and comprise essentially a wooden frame which is made in sections,'each section being provided with metallic reenforcements so that if a torpedo should hit a particu-, lar unit the damage would be confined to that unit and would be further confined to only a portion of that unit. Even if a torpedo should hit a unit and so lessen its buoyancy, the supporting cables and booms would still enable it to be salvaged and repaired.

The metal reenforced wooden frame is covered with a watertight shell, preferably of plywood, the joints being sealed so that it is leak-proof. The lower edge of each unit is weighted as by concrete or the like, for example, whereby the unit floats upright in a vertical plane.

The units are wide enough so that they extend downwardly below the surface of the water to torpedo depthjby which is meant a depth at which torpedoes usually travel. Practically, this depth is of the'order of to 30 feet, depending on the setting of the depth control for the torpedo.

Where the shield of the present invention is used on shallow draft ships, the width of the shield may, of course, be considerably less than where it is used with a ship drawing 25 to 30 feet.

The units forming the shield are preferably independently supported by booms and cables in line in end to end relationship alongside the ship. These booms and cables hold the units in operative position and are also used for lifting the units out of the water when not in use, or for replacement or repair purposes.

However, instead of individually supporting the units by booms and cables, the several units can be hooked together in line in end to end relationship and towed by a boom at the bow of the ship.

In another aspect of the invention, a series of units may be hooked together in line in end to end relationship and these units towed by a separate ship or tow boat alongside the ship being protected. In fact, a series of such mobile shields, each towed by its own tow boat, could be towed in line alongside an entire convoy, to provide protection for the convoy.

Further advantages of construction and operation will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, illustrating more or less diagrammatically the subject matter of the invention.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a ship equipped with the shield of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same;

Fig. 3 is an end View showing the shield in position alongside a ship;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, when the ship is rolling;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan view of one of the units forming the anti-torpedo shield;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the unit of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 shows a framing for one unit;

Fig. 8 shows the manner of assembling the f1nished unit;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged, fragmentary section showing the interior construction of a unit; and

'Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic, plan View of a modification.

Referring now to these drawings, in which similar reference characters indicate similar parts, the torpedo shield of the present invention consists of a plurality of streamlined units 2 which are pointed or otherwise streamlined ;at their leading edges It and trailing edges 6 to slip through the water with a minimum of resistance.

These units are supported in line in end to end relationship alongside the ship 8 by booms I0 pivoted at l2 to the ship and pivoted at I4 to the buoyant units. The booms H! are telescopic so as to allow for the rolling of the ship and'for impact of the waves against the units 2. I

The booms HI may also be supported by cables l6 passing over sheaves l8 to suitable winches on the deck of the ship,

The particular construction of the several units may be varied, the principal requirements being that the units are rather thin, fairly wide, buoyant so that they float in the water, and are weighted to float upright and to extend downwardly to torpedo depth. Such a unit may be made of a framework as shown in Fig. '7, comprising vertical members 20 and horizontal members 22, braced at their inter-sections by angle irons 24. This framework is covered by a plywood shell or skin 26 and all joints and seams are caulked water-tight, the inside of the unit being hollow so that the entire unit, even when weighted, will float in a vertical plane, most of the shield unit, however, being submerged. The

unit may be weighted by a mass of concrete or the like 28. The lower edge 30 of a unit may be protected by a metallic skin or shell 32, encasing the lower edge and secured thereto in any suitable way. The top of a unit is preferably formed and stiffened by a steel plate 33 about 3 inches wide, 50 feet long and about A, or inch thick.

Referring to Fig. 5, the leading edge 4 and the trailing edge 6 of the unit may also be encased by a metallic skin or shell 34.

Referring to Figs. '7 and 9, the vertical and horizontal framing members and 22 define squares or sections, each square or section being individually reenforced by vertical and horizontal metallic reenforcements, such as strong steel springs, cables or braces 36, secured to hooks or the like 38, in turn carried by the vertical and horizontal beams 20 and 22. This sectionalized reenforcement of the shield tends to localize explosion damage to that section in the event of a torpedo hit.

The actual dimensions of a particular unit may be varied according to the size of the ship being protected. As an example, however, a unit 2 may be about 50 feet long, about 21 or 22 feet wide and about 3 or 4 inches thick. The framework for such unit may be made of wooden beams 2 inches by 8 inches, about 5 feet apart. However, it should be understood that the invention is not to be limited to particular materials or particular dimensions. Any suitable materials, in any suitable sizes, may be used.

The described shield, being pointed fore and aft, or streamlined, being relatively thin and smooth on its exterior surface, slips through the water with a minimum of resistance, and with considerably less resistance than is met with in dragging a torpedo net through the water.

In the event of a torpedo hit, the damaged unit can be hauled aboard the ship for repair, and a new unit put in place while the damaged unit is being repaired.

Instead of positioning theunits independently, as shown in Fig. 1, they could be hooked together in end to end relationship, as shown in Fig. 1G, and the shield towed alongside by booms and cables 40 and 42 carried on the bow of the ship. Also, a series of units as shown in Fig. 10, could be towed by a separate tow boat attached to the tow line 44 and towed alongside the ship, on the side most vulnerable to torpedo attack, or on both sides, if two shields and two tow boats are available. Furthermore, a series of shields, like that shown in Fig. 10, could be towed in line by a series of tow boats for protecting an entire convoy.

The stem of the ship is protected by a similar unit 46, provided with angular flanges 48 about a foot wide. These flanges 48 are suitably braced to maintain their angular position. The object of the flanges is to explode a torpedo that otherwise might hit this trailing member 46, glance off and hit the ship. This unit 46 is towed by tWo cables 50, attached to the port and starboard sides of the ship. If a torpedo is seen to be coming in the general direction of the stern of the ship, the deflector 46 may be manipulated to bring it into the path or the torpedo and so to explode it.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described in some detail, it should be understood that the invention is not to be limited to particular details, but may be carried out in other ways.

I claim as my invention:

1. An anti-torpedo shield for ships, comprising intersecting and interconnected vertical and horizontal frame members dividing the shield into sections, a smooth, streamlined watertight shell enclosing said frame members, for forming a partly hollow, buoyant structure, and weighted means within said shell, for holding the shield in vertical position in the water.

2. An anti-torpedo shield for ships, comprising intersecting and interconnected vertical and horizontal frame members dividing the shield into sections, a smooth, streamlined watertight shell enclosing said frame members, for forming a partly hollow, buoyant structure, metallic means interconnecting adjacent vertical and horizontal frame members, for localizing explosive damage to a particular section, and means in the lower part of the shield for causing it to float in a vertical plane.

3. An anti-torpedo shield for ships, comprising intersecting and interconnected vertical and horizontal frame members dividing the shield into sections, a smooth, streamlined watertight shell enclosing said frame members, for forming a, partly hollow, buoyant structure, metallic means interconnecting adjacent vertical and horizontal frame members, for localizing explosive damage to a particular section, and weighted means within said shell, for causing it to float upright in the water.

4. An anti-torpedo shield for ships, comprising intersecting and interconnected vertical and horizontal frame members dividing the shield into sections, a smooth, streamlined watertight shell enclosing said frame members, for forming a partly hollow, buoyant structure, metal cables interconnecting opposite pairs of the horizontal and vertical frame members defining respective sections of the shield, for localizin explosion damage to a particular section or sections, and weighted means in the lower part of the shield for holding it upright in the water.

5. An anti-torpedo shield for ships, comprising intersecting and interconnected vertical and horizontal frame members dividing the shield into sections, a smooth, streamlined watertight shell enclosing said frame members, for forming a partly-hollow, buoyant structure, angle irons connecting the intersecting vertical and horizontal frame members, and metal cables interconnecting opposite pairs of the horizontal and vertical frame members defining respective sections of the shield, for localizing explosion damage to a particular section or sections, and

weighted means in the lower part of the shield for holding it upright in the water.

6. An anti-torpedo shield for ships, compris;

in intersecting horizontal and vertical frame members, dividing the shield into sections, a plywood covering over said frame, metallic reeniorcing means interconnecting the portions of the horizontal and vertical frame members defining the respective sections of the shield, for localizing explosion damage to a particular section or sections, a metallic skin covering the plywood, for forming a streamlined, watertight buoyant structure, and weighted means within the plywood covering, in the lower part of the shield, for 5 causing it to float in avertical plane.

NORMAN RICE PETERSON. 

